HUAWEI’s flagship smartphone for the year 2021 has just launched last week Friday. Oddly enough, it was not a global affair. To our surprise too, the news did not create the hype a flagship usually does. There is a good reason for that though. The HUAWEI P50 series is currently only launched for the Chinese market.
The device still appears in HUAWEI’s global site though. While that could mean that HUAWEI might plan a global release of the device later in the year, maybe closer to its availability date, the device launches in a rather quiet fashion. Well, quieter than the usual fanfare of a high-profiled smartphone launch. Does this mean HUAWEI is now not a high-profile smartphone maker?
We think it is contrary to that. We think they are in the midst of a restructure, a sort of regrouping. Before that though, we do have to talk about the HUAWEI P50 series, it is what we are here for after all.
As usual, the flagship brand from HUAWEI is now a series instead of a single device. There are two devices in the HUAWEI P50 series, a regular vanilla P50, and an extreme version P50 Pro. Of course, the bigger one must be the HUAWEI P50 Pro.
HUAWEI P50 Pro
Source: HUAWEI
We start with the most powerful HUAWEI P series to date, the HUAWEI P50 Pro. It is the bigger one among the two devices introduced in the series. Its display measures 6.6-inch and pushes a tiny bit more resolution out of the display. It is an odd display though, because it is not exactly 1440p QHD, but it is not Full HD either at 2,700 x 1,228 pixels. You still get 450 ppi (pixels per inch) with 10-bit colour space though (1.07 billion colours).
It is an OLED panel too, which also means that you are getting highly vivid colours and brilliant contrasts. It also refreshes at 120Hz and features 300Hz in touch sampling rate, which also means you might get a kick out of it for gaming. While it is not exactly a 1440p display, it is still a brilliant one, by the looks of it.
Of course, a large and brilliant display needs powerful internals. Here is the strange part though, you can actually opt for a HUAWEI P50 Pro that does not come with HUAWEI’s own Kirin chipset. It can either come with HUAWEI’s Kirin 9000 System on a Chip (SoC), or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 4G SoC (global site only outlines Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G SoC). HUAWEI’s adaptation to Qualcomm’s chips could have a larger implication for HUAWEI’s future. That is just speculations though, back to the device.
Alongside the powerful chips that you can choose from is either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB in storage (global site only outlines up to 8GB + 256GB). Apparently, there will be no expansion option on the latest HUAWEI P series flagships though. With a larger body too, it has a large 4,360 mAh that should last you a whole day and even more running HUAWEI’s proprietary HarmonyOS 2.0 introduced with the HUAWEI MatePad Pro earlier this year.
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Instead of a single camera bulge, the HUAWEI P50 Pro comes with two camera domes now. One houses three lenses (40-Megapixel MonoChrome, 13-Megapixel Ultra-Wide, 64-Megapixel Telephoto) and the other houses a single 50-Megapixel main shooter alongside an LED flash module. Out the front is a high-resolution 13-Megapixel shooter. Funnily enough, while Leica’s brand still graces the device, there are no mentions of the sensor size on the HUAWEI P50 Pro.
HUAWEI P50
Source: HUAWEI
Then there is the regular HUAWEI P50. In size it is smaller, but not by that much. Instead of the 6.6-inch display, the HUAWEI P50 settles in at 6.5-inch. It is still an OLED display that boasts 2,700 x 1,224 pixels at up to 90Hz refresh rate.
While you get a choice of going for a HUAWEI Kirin 9000 chip, the HUAWEI P50 only gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 4G treatment, which is odd. Supporting the chipset though is still up to 8GB in RAM and up to 256GB in storage, which are not too bad considering.
The HUAWEI P50 also loses a 64-Megapixel telephoto lens and 40-Megapixel monochrome lens. Instead, you get 12-Megapixel in telephoto lens and a 13-Megapixel ultra-wide camera alongside the 50-Megapixel shooter. You still get two camera bulges though.
Because it is a smaller body, the HUAWEI P50 only packs a 4,100mAh battery. While the SuperCharge 66W fast charging capability remains, the HUAWEI P50 will not be getting wireless charging capabilities. You should still be able to last a whole day and more from the smaller battery though.
Pricing and Availability
The HUAWEI P50 Pro and P50 comes in Golden Black, Cocoa Gold, or Pearl White colour options. The HUAWEI P50 Pro gets an additional colour option in the Charm Pink though. There are no mentions of its availability the global market at this time. At this point too, you can expect the HUAWEI P50 with Harmony OS 2.0 to be shipping out without Google’s Play Store or Google’s basic mobile ecosystem installed.
The HUAWEI P50 and P50 Pro is already on pre-order in China and will start shipping and appearing in stores 8th August 2021 onward. The HUAWEI P50 starts at CN¥ 4,488 (MYR 2,935*) and tops out at CN¥ 4,988 (MYR 3,262*). The HUAWEI P50 Pro starts at CN¥ 5,988 (MYR 3,917*) for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 variant with 8GB RAM and 129GB on-board storage. It tops out at CN¥ 7,988 (MYR 5,225*) for the Kirin 9000 variant with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of on-board storage.
* Approximately based on exchange rate of CN¥ 10 = MYR 6.54 on xe.com as of 02/08/2021
OPPO has been making waves in the mobile industry with their approach to cameras and their augmentation of their smartphones with their own camera algorithms. They’ve also been one of the best options when it comes to getting affordable smartphones which pack impressive performance.
The recently announced OPPO A74 is their latest iteration of the affordable OPPO A series which has, in our previous experience with it, performed commendably. The A74 (4G) is the lower specc’d version of the new device without 5G connectivity.
Does the smartphone keep OPPO’s legacy in the affordable space? Should you be investing your hard earned money in it? We’ll be breaking the whole experience down in our review.
Design
The OPPO A74 is a sleek, slim device with a pretty finish. It’s actually one of the better-looking smartphones in its category. OPPO has given it sleek curves on the back and a rather shiny finish. While it can be a fingerprint magnet, the finish of the A74 gives the smartphone a rather premium feel and look. In addition to that the curves make the phone a little more ergonomic; making it easier and more comfortable to hold and use.
The design cues of the OPPO A74, however, are very run-of-the-mill when it comes to the company’s design language. We’ve seen the same design cues from nearly all the phones that have been released from OPPO – and OnePlus – in the past few months. The lack of identity when it comes to the outlook of the many smartphone series that OPPO offers is a little bit of a let-down but they generally do make up for it with unique, cutting edge features.
Aside from that, the A74 is also one of the few smartphones that has opted to keep the pinhole design of the display. Thanks to this choice, users are in for a more immersive experience when it comes to the display and multimedia experience of the smartphone. That paired with the rather compact overall size also allows easy everyday usage and even a more comfortable experience when gaming.
Hardware
The hardware of the OPPO A74 isn’t that far off for an entry-level device. However, when it comes to processors, it comes with one that is slightly more powerful than others we’ve seen used in its competition. That said, specifications and the make up of any given smartphone is only one side of the coin, how they affect the overall user experience is another.
We’ve listed the complete specifications below and noted the configuration which we reviewed in the table. That said, we dive in deeper into the user experience in the following sections.
FRONT: 16-Megapixel (f/2.4, 27mm (wide),1/3.06”, 1.0µm) 1080p video recording (30fps)
Sensor
Accelerometer Proximity Fingerprint (Optical, under display) Gyroscope Face Unlock Compass
Miscellaneous
Dual SIM
Retail Price (Malaysia)
MYR 899
Retail Price (US)
USD$ 399.98
User Interface
OPPO’s ColorOS 11.1 comes baked in the OPPO A74. OPPO has made some good improvements in ColorOS 11.1 which enhance the user experience. The amount of customisability that OPPO brings into the software allows users to have a phone that is uniquely theirs. Things such as the lock screen, fonts and even the home screen is highly customisable and allow users to infuse their own personas into their smartphone.
One of the highlights during our review is OPPO’s implementation of dark mode. Unlike a lot of other smartphones out there, OPPO has included three degrees of intensity for dark mode. This is particularly useful if, like me, your eyes are sensitive to the contrast that dark mode can give – particularly when it comes to viewing white on black. During my time with the A74, I found myself using the phone with dark mode set on medium. This was the setting that allowed my eyes to be comfortable while allowing me to save some battery.
OPPO’s ColorOS also brings an amazing selection of Wallpapers with their Artist+ Wallpaper project. However, how useful this feature is to you will depend on your appreciation of artists and the arts. While it was novel in the beginning, we eventually went back to our normal wallpapers after a few days.
That said, the OPPO A74 does benefit from some of the performance enhancing algorithms built into ColorOS 11. Navigation and swiping through screens were very smooth with little to no jitters even when swiping between open apps. Launching apps feels more prompt and it was a lot more seamless than other smartphones in its category. In addition, having a good selection of customisable quick toggles in the notification shade allowed for quick and easy access all the important settings.
Performance
When it comes to performance, the OPPO A74 isn’t a slouch. It was able to handle day to day tasks pretty easily. However, when it came to more demanding tasks, it did take a beating. The phone’s hardware doesn’t really show many bottle necks – but we expect you might get a better experience with 8GB of RAM.
When it came to using heavier gaming apps, there was a noticeable slow down in the system’s performance. This was also followed by the phone getting a little bit warmer to the touch. We suspect that the many AI algorithms that OPPO employs for its performance enhancement may not be too fond of resources (i.e. RAM) being taken up by other processes. However, while this did occur, it only happened when RAM usage was obscenely high. Beyond that, the phone rarely lagged or heated much.
Call Quality & Connectivity
Call quality on the A74 is commendable. Of course, since the switch to VoLTE, the clarity of voice calls has increased tremendously in general. However, OPPO seems to have enhanced the clarity further. Calls on the phone sounded crisp and clear. However, when it came to speaker phone, the phone left quite a bit to be desired. Even in quieter areas, it was hard to hear the audio coming from the speaker phone. Calls over the ear piece were crisp, voices were clear and there was little disturbance. Users on the other end of the call noted that my voice was loud and clear on their end.
When it comes to connectivity, the OPPO A74 had more stable and stronger connectivity to 4G LTE that some of the other devices we’ve tested. During our testing it continually had either the same or one bar more than some of the other devices we had during the same period. On top of that it was able to keep a stable Bluetooth connection with our wireless headphones.
Gaming
Gaming on the OPPO A74 wasn’t too bad of an experience. It was able to keep up with some PUBG mobile. However, if you’re looking to play Genshin Impact with flawless graphics, you’ll be a little let down. That said, this isn’t unexpected for a phone of this calibre. Aside from some performance compromises, the phone can be a pretty good one for mobile gamers.
The display is large with vibrant colours. OPPO’s decision to have the pin hole front camera really lends to the experience being more immersive. It’s responsive enough even for FPS games. The sound quality on the speakers isn’t too bad too. Of course, don’t go blasting it on 100% or you’ll have tearing and pitching on the speakers. You’ve got a 3.5mm jack so you can be even more immersed when gaming.
Battery Life
The battery on this smartphone is one of the best we’ve seen so far. That is, of course, expected for an OPPO smartphone. The company has been able to squeeze every ounce of battery life of its phones for a while now. On the A74, we were able to get about 2 days of battery life with normal use without much hassle. With heavier use like gaming and multimedia consumption, we got about 18 hours with about 5 to 6 hours of screen on time. On standby, the phone was able to last about a week easily.
Display
The display of the OPPO A74 comes with a Full HD+ resolution and, to be very honest, it’s just the right resolution for its 6.43-inch size. You’re not straining as pixelated artefacts on the screen and the pictures and video displayed are crisp and sharp. The high pixel density also allows for a better, more immersive visual experience on the smartphone.
However, it’s not the best display out there. Even with 430 nits of brightness, the screen could get a tad bit dark when it comes to the outdoors. Under direct sunlight, it was a task to read messages and emails. If you’re looking to get into content, the display may not be the best in the market for it, colour accuracy isn’t the best but passable. You will need to do colour grading when it comes to having quality content.
Cameras
Ironically, the camera on the OPPO A74 felt like the biggest let down. While it’s not bad per se, the experience of the A74 feels like a serious step down from the A9 we reviewed previously. While using the camera has improved, OPPO seems to have sacrificed a lot when it comes to overall picture quality.
It was a little confounding when it came to the camera experience on the OPPO A74. The interface has improved and become more user friendly. Things are easier to access and it’s more feature rich than ever before, but the picture quality – particularly when it came to low light pictures seems to have taken a little bit of a dip between the A9 and A74. This, to be honest, wasn’t what we were expecting given the leaps and bounds that OPPO has progressed when it comes to their camera technology in their own Reno and Find X line up.
In good, bright lighting, the cameras were able to produce pictures with depth and detail. However, the minute lighting was dim, pictures became noisy and uninspiring. Detail was hardly present. You can see the amount of loss in detail even on the screen of the phone itself by simply pinching and zooming. This was the case with both the selfie and main sensors. Zooming was more of the same, even when using the optical zoom, pictures are noisy and lacked detail.
All in all, when it comes to the camera experience, it feels like OPPO didn’t really put too much effort into differentiating its entry level offering. We’ve seen the result of their efforts in their own Reno and Find X series, and it confounds us as to why some of that effort wasn’t present in the A74. It really feels like they were just ticking boxes in the features department.
A Near Complete Package for the Entry Level Missing that OPPO Magic
Overall, the OPPO A74 is an average package. It has a good display, a commendable processor but it’s let down by what feels like a lack of effort in the camera department. To be very frank, it’s let down by a standard that OPPO, itself, set. If the smartphone had the camera to back it, it would be a contender for one of the most affordable and best optimised phones in the market.
However, with that said, for the budget, it isn’t a bad device. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to features and provides an overall experience that is enjoyable and, most importantly, customisable to the user. It does provide some value for money at its price and is able to keep up with demanding tasks.
Qualcomm releases a Smartphone for Snapdragon Insider. Designed by ASUS and powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 5G SoC, it is also one of the most powerful Android device you can get in the market. It is definitely the most powerful Vanilla Android device to date.
The package that comes with the smartphone is a pair of wireless earbuds made in collaboration with Master & Dynamics. You also get a charger and USB Type-C cable bundled in. Obviously the charger is the fastest charger with Qualcomm Quick Charge 5 technology available for the Qualcomm smartphone.
Alongside the super power that is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G SoC is also an ample 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. With those kind of specs, the device has more common with a gaming laptop than any other smartphone. This also makes it one of the most powerful Snapdragon powered smartphone in the current market.
The ASUS designed device is fronted by a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLLED display. While that sounds underwhelming, the display responses at 1ms and refreshes at 144Hz. Okay, that still does not make it sound all that impressive, especially if you consider that the Sony Xperia 1 III packs a 4K display at 120Hz.
Out the back is a 64-Megapixel camera that is also flanked by an 8-Megapixel telephoto camera, and a 12-Megapixel ultra-wide camera. The camera is capable of shooting videos at 8K resolution. Out the front is a 24-Megapixel camera that is capable of Full HD videos too.
The price? It is US$ 1,499. At that price, it is easily one of the most expensive Android smartphones you can find in the current market. It rivals the price of an Apple iPhone even. Even with all the things you get with the package, it is still and expensive device. It is definitely a reference smartphone though.
While we do not thing “Smartphone for Snapdragon Insider” counts as a name, it is what it is. We also do not think we need another reference smartphone, especially one that is priced this high. Still, the exclusive device has not hit the market at this time. Until we get a hands-on with the device, we cannot comment on its full capabilities and features. Qualcomm thinks it is necessary though. Do you think it is necessary?
Qualcomm has made a name for themselves pushing the boundaries of mobile processing with their successful Snapdragon processors. However, the company has – until now – left commercial hardware to their many partners. The company is changing things up with their latest announcement: a Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders.
Source: Qualcomm
The company seems to be taking a page out of Google’s book and is introducing a concept smartphone built from the ground up to highlight their processors. Designed by ASUS, the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders brings the full potential of the Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform. The smartphone comes with compatibility for the latest connectivity standards: WiFi 6E, 5G support for both mmWave and sub 6 bandwidths and Bluetooth 5.2. Together with the connectivity, Qualcomm is removing any bottlenecks in performance by equipping the smartphone with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard UFS 3.1 memory. The processor and top of the line storage promises some of the best read and write speeds.
Cameras Augmented by Qualcomm’s Triple ISP Technology & AI
The Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders comes with Qualcomm’s vision for the best camera experience on its platform. It comes with a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor with quad bayer technology; an aperture of f/1.8 and a effective focal length of 26.6mm with a 78.3° field of view; and four axis optical image stabilization. The triple sensor setup comes complemented with a secondary 12-megapixel Sony IMX363 sensor. This sensor has a f/2.2 aperture and an effective focal length of 14.3mm with support for macro shots. An 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom and upto 12x hybrid zoom completes the triplet of cameras. On the front is a 24-megapixel sensor.
Source: Qualcomm
Qualcomm is touting the camera setup as a professional grade camera featuring AI augmentations that allow the camera to take good low light shots and intelligently focus and identify the best shot. Additionally, AI auto zoom allows your subject to be the focus of the shot while bringing you closer to the action. You can even shoot video in 4k and 8K resolutions. This is made possible by the Qualcomm Spectra 580 ISP which has gigapixel processing speeds.
Audiophile Experience Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound Technology
The new Qualcomm smartphone is also one of the first to feature Snapdragon Sound technology. The new optimizations allow users to wirelessly stream high quality, 24-bit audio with bitrates of up to 96KHz. Snapdragon Sound also enhances audio from end to end for a more robust sound with clear highs and boomy bass. It also enables super wideband voice for clear, true to life audio when making calls.
Source: Qualcomm
Of course, since Snapdragon Sound is focused on wireless audio, Qualcomm is including a set of wireless earphones by Master & Dynamic in the box with the Smartphone. The MW08SI comes with active noise cancelling and is powered by Qualcomm’s QCC5141 low power Bluetooth Audio SoC. It is able to do ultra low latency bluetooth streaming with true high resolution audio quality. It even has augmentations for better connectivity in environments with dense RF interference.
Desktop Gaming Experience on the Go
The Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders comes with the Adreno 660 GPU which is touted to bring 35% faster graphics rendering. Variable Rate Shading brings an additional 30% boost in performance as well. This experience is augmented by the 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED display. It comes with a Full HD+ resolution of 2448×1080 pixels with a response rate of 1ms and 144Hz refresh rate. The display comes with HDR10+ certification and has a ΔE of less than 1. It also comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection and support for always on display. Qualcomm is also touting up to 20% increased responsiveness thanks to Qualcomm Game Quick Touch.
Source: Qualcomm
Dual stereo speaker augmented with Smart AMP up the ante when it comes to audio experience. Snapdragon Sound also works it magic in delivering high quality audio over these speakers. It also comes with multiple profiles optimized for content type. With the large, Quick Charge 5.0 enabled 4,000mAh battery, you should be gaming for hours on end.
Pricing & Availability
The Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders will be available starting on August. It will be available first in the U.S., China, Denmark, U.K., Japan, South Korea followed by India. No indication if the smartphone will be available outside these regions just yet.
Source: Qualcomm
ASUS will be distributing the smartphone. It will be retailing for USD$1,499 (MYR 6,268.31*). It will be available only in Midnight Blue.
*exchange rate taken from xe.com on 9 July 2021 at USD$ 1 = MYR4.18
Lenovo has been one of the only manufacturers actively releasing tablets in the Android space. This year, the company is updating and diversifying their offerings with a slew of new tablets. Each line up addresses a unique niche with features that not not only address the need but also up their design ante.
Entertain, Create and Be Productive with the New Lenovo Yoga Tab Lineup
The Lenovo Yoga Tab series has always been Lenovo’s go to when it comes to pushing the boundaries of entertainment. The new lineup of the Yoga Tab series continues to inherit the sleek design and curves of the Yoga Tabs of the past. However, this year, the new entries: the Yoga Tab 11 and Yoga Tab 13 come with the lineup’s signature design which resembles a folded magazine or book. This year it’s paired with a large display and specifications which gear the tablets to be one of the most versatile tablets in the Yoga Tab lineup.
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 comes packed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 mobile platform paired with 8GB of RAM. The Octa-core processor is able to process data at up to 3.2GHz of speed. It also has 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. It comes with a Dolby Vision certified 13-inch LTPS display with a WQHD resolution of 2160×1350 pixels. The display has a 60Hz refresh rate with 400 nits peak brightness. The screen is complemented with Quad JBL speakers with a 5cc audio chamber and Dolby Atmos certification and Lenovo’s Premium Audio Solution. It has 3 microphones for video calling and recording audio. The Tab is powered with a 10,000mAh battery with up to 12 hours of video playback at 1080p. Topping up charge shouldn’t be a problem with 30W quick charge.
The smaller Yoga Tab 11 comes with a smaller 11-inch LCD display with a WUXGA resolution of 2000×1200 pixels. It comes in two memory configurations: 8GB RAM and 256GB onboard memory and 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard memory. Both run on the MediaTek Helio G90T processor. Similar to its larger sibling, the Yoga Tab 11 comes with Quad JBL speakers and all the extras. However, it comes with a dual-mic configuration. It also comes with a 7,500mAh battery with up to 15 hours of video playback and support for 20W quick charge. Both support the Lenovo Precision Pen 2. You’ll be able to use the built-in kickstand to get the tablets in the best orientation for your artistic endeavours.
Versatility with the New Lenovo Tab P11 Plus & 3rd Generation Tab M series
Lenovo is buffing up its Tab portfolio with the new Lenovo Tab P11 which is powered by the same MediaTek Helio G90T which powered the smaller Yoga Tab 11. It comes paired with up to 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal memory. The front is emblazoned by an 11-inch IPS LCD display with a 2K resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. It has a dual microphone array with Smart Voice DSP with Dolby Atmos optimised speakers. It also comes with up to 12 hours of video playback powered by a 7,500mAh battery with 20W quick charge support.
Together with the Pad 11 Plus, Lenovo is introducing the third generation of the Lenovo Tab M7 and Tab M8. The two new entries into Lenovo’s mainstream tablet lineup bring a new, empowered approach to their tablets. They make one of the best entertainment experience on a tablet available at a more affordable price. They come with a 7- and 8-inch IPS screen respectively. The smaller M7 comes with an resolution of 1024×600 pixels while the M8 HD resolution of 1280×800 pixels. Both are powered by MediaTek processors.
Pricing & Availability
MalaysiaAvailability
MalaysiaPrice starting from
Global Availability
Global Price from (VAT included)
Yoga Tab 13
TBC
TBC
June 2021
€799
Yoga Tab 11
TBC
TBC
July 2021
€349
Lenovo Tab P11 Plus
Sept 2021
RM1,799
July 2021
€299
Lenovo Smart Clock 2 with Google Assistant
TBC
TBC
August 2021
€89.99
Lenovo Tab M7 (3rd Gen)
July 2021
RM549
June 2021
€119
Lenovo Tab M8 (3rd Gen)
January 2022
TBC
January 2022
TBC
Official Specifications
Lenovo Yoga Tab 13
Processor
Snapdragon 870 Mobile Platform, Octa-Core, up to 3.2GHz
The Honor namesake has been tied to HUAWEI for the longest time. That should not be a surprise though, Honor started out life as HUAWEI’s sister brand. For the longest time as well, they have lived under the shadows of the giant that is HUAWEI. When HUAWEI’s trade band with U.S. companies fell Honor, as a part of HUAWEI, was heavily impacted as well.
There is some light at the end of the tunnel though. Honor is no longer part of HUAWEI group as of 2021. In 2021 also, Honor confirms that their devices will run on Android with Google Play in tow.
A few weeks after they mentioned that they launched their first ever smartphone for 2021. They launched their new Honor 50 series smartphones. Instead of just one smartphone then, they released three – the Honor 50 SE, Honor 50, and Honor 50 Pro.
HONOR 50 SE
Source: GSM Arena
The HONOR 50 SE was not technically highlighted too much in the launch. It is still a part of the HONOR 50 family, however. It is the most budget friendly of the bunch, but also a little different.
Instead of the usual Qualcomm Snapdragon System on A Chip (SoC) that you expect from the new HONOR line-up, you get a MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC. Admit it, for a moment you were expecting the name HiSilicon to come up. Despite being made to fit smaller budgets, the Dimensity 900 chip is still no slouch with 5G connectivity. The octa-core SoC can clock at up to 2.4Ghz when you need the power for MagicUI 4.2 on Android 11 and its apps.
Because the Dimensity 900 can support UFS 2.1 memory, you get exactly that in 128GB flavour for storage on the Honor 50 SE. There is also 8GB in RAM to pair with the device. All of these are given life by the 4,000 mAh battery that should last you all day. If you run out of juice, 66W fast charging should have you covered.
The brand, like HUAWEI, has always been watched for its camera technology though. Out the back is a 108-Megapixel main camera alongside two more supporting cameras. One is an 8-Megapixel ultrawide sensor and the other is a 2-Megapixel macro sensor. Out the front you will find a single 16-Megapixel shooter perched in the middle of the forehead of the 6.78-inch 120Hz Full HD+ LCD display.
HONOR 50
HONOR 50
The main stars of the show are naturally the vanilla variant and the overkill Pro variant of the HONOR 50. The two devices should also be the most popular devices in its range in terms of sales. At the same time, if you have seen the HONOR 50 SE, it is quite difficult to tell the devices apart if you do not pay attention. That is to say that they sport nearly similar designs, apart from camera placements and size.
The HONOR 50 is fronted by 6.57-inch Full HD+ display with 120Hz in refresh rate to give you a consistently smooth UI experience. For that snappy feel too, the panel supports 300Hz sampling rate for an almost immediate response from every single touch. Of course, these speeds do contribute to great gaming experience on the device too.
The HONOR 50 shares the same rear camera array and platform as the more premium and powerful HONOR 50 Pro. It does not share the selfie camera though. The HONOR 50 only has a single lens 32-Megapixel camera parked in a hole at the top of the display.
Like its more premium brother, the Honor 50’s MagicUI 4.2 on Android 11 is powered by a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC with 5G capabilities. It is supposedly less powerful than the outgoing Snapdragon 780G platform, but not by much. You get up to 8GB of RAM to go alongside up to 256GB of storage. Everything runs of the 4,300mAh battery that can fast-charge at 66W.
HONOR 50 Pro
Source: GSM Arena
The HONOR 50 Pro, as its name suggest, is the most premium device of the HONOR 50 range. It may not pack more power than the HONOR 50 with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G SoC in tow. It does have more RAM with up to 12GB in RAM size alongside up to 256GB in storage.
It does not have the best rear camera set up too, the same as HONOR 50, as we mentioned. There is the 108-Megapixel main shooter. The 108-Megapixel shooter is supported by three other cameras that are parked in the other halo of cameras and flash collection. You get one 8-Megapixel ultrawide shooter, a 2-Megapixel Macro shooter, and another 2-Megapixel depth sensor out the back. Out the front though is a dual-lens combination of a 32-Megapixel sensor and a 12-Megapixel wide-angle lens. As expected from HONOR as well, the HONOR 50 Pro and HONOR 50 camera app comes with a bunch of multi-camera modes and all kinds of enhancements including Super Night Mode that is also available to the front camera.
It has the largest and best display among the three in the series too. The HONOR 50 Pro also has a 120Hz refresh rate display at Full HD+ resolution. The display expands to 6.72-inch though, instead of the 6.57-inch of the regular device. The display also boasts DCI-P3 100% colour gamut for the best and most accurate colour reproduction you can find on a smartphone display. Alongside 300Hz sampling rate, MagicUI 4.2 on Android 11 looks better than ever.
The only thing that is less in the HONOR 50 Pro compared to the vanilla HONOR 50 though is its battery. At 4,000mAh, you are not going to complain that it is too small, because it is still a significant size. Instead of 66W though, it charges even faster at 100W allowing the device to charge from flat to 100% in less than an hour, theoretically.
Price and Availability
The HONOR 50 series are coming to Malaysia, as confirmed by HONOR. Currently though, there are no confirmation on when that is going to happen just yet. We can also confirm that the HONOR 50 and HONOR 50 Pro will be part of the HONO 50 family that is available in Malaysia – no word on HONOR 50 SE’s availability.
The devices are already available for pre-order in China. The HONOR 50 series will be available in 4 colour options; you get to choose from Frost Crystal (special finish), Amber Red, Emerald Green, and Midnight Black colour options. The HONOR 50 and HONOR 50 Pro are selling for CN¥ 2,699 (MYR 1,736*) and CN¥ 3,699 (MYR 2,380*) respectively, while the HONOR 50 SE will be available for CN¥ 2,399 (MYR 1,543*). More information on the HONOR 50 series can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of CN¥ 10 = MYR 6.43 on xe.com as of 17/06/2021
Qualcomm has been teasing their Snapdragon platform to run on PC and Windows for a while now. To be fair, the possibility of having a Snapdragon SoC running Windows is not such a far-fetched idea. The processing chips that have been staple for Android, at least on the flagships, are already as powerful, if not more powerful than a regular CPU made by Intel and AMD. They are also a lot more power efficient, which also means that it runs cooler and benefits battery life.
While they have been teasing, there are no notable products to put the concept into practice. The closest we got to a modern Qualcomm Snapdragon compute platform on Windows is the JOI Book SK3000, an attempt at creating an affordable notebook by a Malaysian firm. To be fair, we see a lot of potential from that attempt, even if they are using a somewhat dated System on a Chip (SoC) that was not even made for Windows.
Today though, all that is about to change with Samsung’s introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go. The new Galaxy Book Go comes in three variants too, for good measure. The regular Galaxy Book Go can be fitted with LTE connectivity, but there is a 5G variant. Naturally, two variants also mean two different SoCs. The standard Galaxy Book Pro with or without LTE comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 platform and the Galaxy Book Pro 5G comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 platform.
Source: Samsung
Again, because the power consumption requirements are lower than before, the notebook is touted to have an all-day battery life. Even if you need to plug it into a wall socket, your 25W charger should be larger than a smartphone charger. Thanks to USB Type-C too, you can charge your smartphone using the same charger. All of that also, while remaining constantly connected to the internet.
It features a 14-inch Full HD display with slim bezels to fit a body that is likened to an old 13-inch notebook. eUFS memory (up to 128GB) also means that you get instant boot and load speeds from the Galaxy Book Go. With up to 8GB of RAM, Windows 10 should be running nicely without too much strain. On top of all of that is Dolby Atmos certified speakers for all kinds of entertainment needs.
All of that power is packed into a body that is 14.9mm thick, or thin, depending on how you look at it. It could be thinner, but they do need a little bit of space to fit a full-sized USB Type-A port on the side of the Galaxy Book Go. Still, it only weighs 1.38kg and it does not need a fan to run a whole day.
Source: Samsung
It is very much a Samsung product though with Galaxy ecosystem a part of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go. The Galaxy Book Go works nicely with Link to Windows and Microsoft’s Your Phone app on your Android device. With Smart Switch also, you can easily transfer settings from your old PC to the Galaxy Book Go quickly and easily. There is even SmartThings built into the Galaxy Book Go for all kinds of IoT use at home.
The Samsung Galaxy Book Go Wi-Fi and LTE will be available in select market June 2021 onward. The selected markets does not include Malaysia at this time though. If you are in a market where the Samsung Galaxy Book Go with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 platform is available, it starts at US$ 349 (MYR 1,439*). The Samsung Galaxy Book Go 5G variant will be available sometime later in the year 2021. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Book Go and other Samsung products, you can visit their website.
*Based on approximate exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.12 as of 03/06/2021 on xe.com
It’s been quite a while since Malaysia saw a Zenfone. The last Zenfone officially launched in Malaysia was the Zenfone 5 – which, to be honest, was a stellar device. However, since then, ASUS hasn’t brought any of their smartphones – aside from the ROG Phone – to Malaysia. This year, it seems like ASUS will be kicking into gear bringing in not one but both of their Zenfone 8 offerings to Malaysia.
The Zenfone 8 series launched internationally earlier this month. The series brings two new Zenfones into ASUS’s portfolio – the Zenfone 8 and the Zenfone 8 Flip. The Zenfone 8 marks a new approach for ASUS when it comes to smartphones. The company is committing to creating smaller, palmable devices with killer specifications. Of course, to do this, they leave behind some of the defining features of the Zenfone including the flipping camera. That’s where the Zenfone 8 Flip comes in. With a larger body, it brings along the now signature flip camera of the Zenfone series.
Palmable Performance with the Zenfone 8
The Zenfone 8 still carries the honour of being the ASUS flagship. ASUS is packing a top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor into the smartphone with the Adreno 660 GPU. IT’s coming with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The Zenfone 8 also packs a 5.9-inch, Samsung AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and a 120HZ refresh rate.
Of course, being equipped with a flagship processor, it comes with support for WiFi 6 connectivity and Tri-band WiFi support on 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz. It also supports Bluetooth 5.2 and Qualcomm’s aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and NFC. It is also 5G ready.
On the camera front, the smartphone comes with a 64-megapixel Sony IMX686 sensor with 1/1.7-inch sensor size and 0.8μm pixel size equipped with Quad Bayer technology. The sensor has an f/1.8 aperture, with a 78.3° field of view and a 26.6mm focal length. This sensor is complemented by a Sony IMX363 12-megapixel ultra-wide, dual pixel sensor. It comes with 1/2.55-inch sensor size and 1.4 μm pixel size and f/2.2 aperture. This sensor supports dual phase detection autofocus and has real-time distortion correction. It also supports 4cm macro shots. On the front is a Sony IMX663 12-megapixel sensor with a 1/2.93-inch sensor with 1.22μm pixel size and 76.5° field of view. It supports Dual Phase Detection autofocus.
The smartphone also comes with an under-display fingerprint sensor. It runs on Android 11 with ZenUI 8. All of this runs on the Zenfone 8’s 4,000 mAh battery which is charged via a USB-C port. The hallmark is that all of these specifications and features are housed within a compact body measuring only 148mm x 68.5mm x8.9mm.
Zenfone 8 Flip – Flipping Bigger than its Flagship
The Zenfone 8 Flip shares most of the same specifications as its flagship brother. However, it comes with a larger 6.67-inch FHD+, AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It comes with only 8GB of RAM and only 256GB of internal storage. It’s also powered by a larger 5,000mAh battery.
The biggest difference comes in the form of the flipping camera. ASUS has imbued the Flip with a triple camera setup which functions as both the main and selfie cameras. The setup comes with the same sensors as the back camera on the Zenfone 8 but is further complemented by an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom and 12x hybrid zoom.
Pricing & Availability
The Zenfone 8 will be available starting from 28th May 2021 at all authorized dealers and ASUS Digital Stores. It will come in two configurations; one with 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard memory which retails for MYR2,699 and a 16GB RAM with 256GB onboard memory retailing for MYR3,299. The latter will be available exclusively on Shopee. It comes in Obsidian Black or Horizon Silver.
The Zenfone 8 Flip will retail for MYR2,999 for the 8GB and 256GB version in Malaysia. It will be available in Galactic Black and Glacier Silver.
Purchases made on ASUS’s Shopee Mall front will be entitled to early bird promos from 28 May to 11 June 2021. Purchases made within this period will be entitled to a SolidSuit Case. ASUS is also offering a trade-in deal where customers are able to trade in their old Zenfones for an MYR200 rebate on the Zenfone 8 series. However, this trade-in offer is only available at physical retail stores from 28 May until 25 June 2021.
Qualcomm is expanding its horizons with a new take on their Snapdragon 7c Compute Platform. The company started looking into mobile compute back in 2017 and introduced their first generation 7c back in 2019. Slightly over a year after, the company is bringing a new, improved take meant for an always connected future.
The new generation Snapdragon 7c compute platform takes aim at an emerging need for always connected PCs at an affordable price point. The new generation comes with the Snapdragon X15 4G LTE modem which provides on-the-go connectivity; allowing devices that come with the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 to switch seamlessly between WiFi and cellular networks. Qualcomm is looking to address the growing need for reliable, stable connections in the age of Work from Anywhere.
Source: Qualcomm
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c compute platform brings together performance, battery life and connectivity. It comes with an Octa-core Kryo 468 CPU which can be run at speeds of up to 2.55GHz providing enough compute for on-the-go work. Similar to its mobile counterparts, the compute platform comes with an Adreno GPU which supports QHD resolution at 60Hz. It also utilizes the Qualcomm Spectra 255 image signal processor which supports up to 14-bit image signal processing. The package, overall, should rival some of the entry level and lower mid range laptops we see in the market.
Affordable Performance for Entry Level Systems
Qualcomm isn’t just building the compute platform for performance, it’s looking at bringing value to a more affordable segment of laptops. To that end, they have been developing the 7c compute platform to bring performance which lasts. They are touting that the Snapdragon 7c is able to provide performance and multiday battery life. The new generation of the compute platform is built with up to 60% more productivity performance per watt compared to currently available laptops. However, they are also making things more affordable with a lower entry level when it comes to pricing. The 7c platform costs about one third of the currently available premium x86 systems.
Source: Qualcomm
The Snapdragon 7c compute platform isn’t just about the silicon either. Qualcomm is baking in AI features which help with on-the-go working. Their Hexagon 629 DSP in the 7c is able to handle over 5 trillion operations a second with its built-in AI engine. This AI enhances device security and even powers more accurate voice recognition and even features like gaze correction for video conferencing.
Working with OEMs for a Diverse Device Ecosystem
The emergence of Work from Anywhere and its acceleration in the midst of the current pandemic has necessitated Qualcomm and its partners to develop unique solutions. Qualcomm has been working with companies like Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and Samsung to create sturdy, affordable and powerful laptops built on the compute platform. This time, the company is working with manufacturers and even software companies for a more complete and optimised experience on the Snapdragon 7c Compute platform.
Manufacturers like Lenovo, HP and Acer are working on creating on-the-go work systems which take advantage of the compute system. They have Windows 10 laptops running on the 7c. Qualcomm has also been working to optimise the platform to better support all versions of Windows 10 for a better user experience.
That said, Windows isn’t the only operating system that Qualcomm is optimising the Snapdragon 7c for either. The company is also working with companies like Acer and ASUS to cultivate a Chrome OS ecosystem. Systems like the Acer Spin 513 Chromebook are already making their way to the market.
OPPO is getting really busy with more and more devices coming into the Malaysian market. Just a few weeks back, the company launched their most affordable 5G smartphone, the OPPO A74 5G. The 4G variant of the OPPO A74 is now set to make its debut on May 20, 2021. It will be coming as an exclusive to LAZADA. It will be retailing for MYR899 and will be available with freebies for its first sale.
Source: OPPO Malaysia
The OPPO A74 comes packed with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor complemented with 6GB of RAM. It will also have 128GB of UFS 2.1 memory and support for up to 512GB of extra memory via a microSD card. It supports 33W fast charging through a USB-C port. On the camera front, it has a triple sensor setup with a 48-megapixel main camera sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, a 2-megapixel macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture and a 2-megapixel depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. The OPPO A74 supports 4K video recording at 30 fps. The front camera is a 16-megapixel sensor with an f/2.1 aperture. The phone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery.
The affordable option from OPPO also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and an under-screen fingerprint sensor. To complete the media experience, the smartphone comes with a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 1080×2400 pixel resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. It will be running ColorOS 11 atop Android 11.
Source: OPPO Malaysia
Together with the new smartphone, OPPO is also repricing the OPPO Reno5 5G. The mid-range offering will now be priced at MYR1,699, MYR200 cheaper than its launch price. The new pricing makes the smartphone one of the more affordable 5G devices available on the market now. It also comes with OPPO’s VOOC Charge 2.0 and a camera setup that brings all of OPPO’s signature camera features.
